LEESBURG, FL - It was two heartbreaking losses for the Panthers on their opening day in Florida, as they fell 3-2 to both Southwest Minnesota State and Sioux Falls, with each game being decided in the bottom half of the final inning.
Game One
It was a pitchers duel in game one, as Kentucky Wesleyan (3-14) and Southwest Minnesota State (2-6) were locked in a scoreless draw after seven innings of play. Wesleyan scored their first run of the game in the top of the eighth, when a
Sarah Linville sacrifice bunt put
Immi Mann on third and in great position to score.
Shelbi Patterson singled Mann home on the very next at bat, giving Wesleyan a 1-0 lead. Patterson nearly doubled the Panther's lead just a few pitches later, but was called out while attempting to steal home on a wild pitch.
Just like Kentucky Wesleyan, SMSU took advantage of the runner placed on second in extras. They hit a sacrifice bunt of their own to move her to third, then hit a sacrifice fly to bring her home and tie the game at one. Wesleyan re-took the lead in the top of the ninth, sticking to the script that worked before.
Guinny Garr advanced
Megan Matheis to third thanks to a sacrifice bunt, and
Kennedy Matheis brought her home on a single to left center.
The Mavericks were able to rack up two big hits in the bottom of the ninth, and used those hits to score two runs, taking the game 3-2.
Megan Matheis went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the game, while
Shelbi Patterson garnered Wesleyan's only RBI. Despite the loss,
Allie Dunn (3-7) pitched a very strong game, throwing four strikouts and allowing just one earned run over 8.2 innings of work.
Game Two
Wesleyan got down early to Sioux Falls (7-8), as they used small ball to go up 2-0 after one. KWC inched back in it, cutting the lead in half in the fourth thanks to a
Guinny Garr RBI double to score
Megan Matheis.
Allie Dunn tied it in the top of the seventh thanks to a solo shot to left field, her second home run of the year.
The Cinderella story wasn't to be, however, as Sioux Falls hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off.
Shelbi Patterson,
Augusta Garr, and
Kennedy Matheis all racked up two hits for the Panthers.
Immi Mann (0-7) allowed just five hits and two earned runs in 6.2 innings of work.
Kentucky Wesleyan keeps rolling tomorrow as they take on Upper Iowa at 1 p.m. CT and Wheeling at 3 p.m. CT.
Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and Instagram, and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.
